Rail anchor



De'c.. 11 1923. 1,476,802 d w. H. DE" BUsK RAIL ANCHOR Filed March 5. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 11, 1923. 1,476,802 W. H. DE BUSK RAIL ANCHOR Filed March 5. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 1l, 1923.

UNITED 'STATES Laissez PATENT ori-fics.

WILLIAM H. DE BUSK, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS', ASSIGNOR- TO THE P. a M. COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF LLNOES.

RAL ANCHOR.

Application filed March 5, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, VILLIAM H. DE BUSK, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Anchors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rail anchors for preventing the longitudinal creeping of railroad rails, and has for its principal object the'provision of a new and improved combination of parts, by which an anchor may be tightened in position on a rail.

My invention relates more particularly to the type of anchor in which bearings are provided on the upper faces of the flanges at opposite sides of a rail, with a bearing on the bottom face of the rail at a point located between the points otl bearing on the upper faces of the flanges, the arrangement being such that the anchor is tightened into operative engagement when moved laterally with respect to the rail, such tightening being attained by reason of a. differential action at opposite sides of the rail. In one form of construction, the tightening is eitected by reason of the fact that upon a transverse movement ot the anchor upon thc rail, the bearing on the upper face ot' the flange at one side is moved vertically7 with `respect to the bottom face of the rail a greater distance than is the bearing on the upper face ot the flange at the opposite side of' therail.

In another form of construction the tightening is eli'ected by reason of a differential leverage. It is one of the objects of my invention to improve devices of both types, both in the mattei' of obtaining the tighten- .ing effect and also in the matter of preventing the anchor from loosening after its application to the rail.

lt is another object of my invention to improve devices of this typein sundry details, hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which I have accomplished .my several objects are illustrated in the drawings and are hereinafter specifically described.

That which l believe to be new and. desire to cover by this application is set forth in the clain'is.

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face view of one form of my improved anchor in operative position'on Serial No. 622,95

a rail, the rail being shown in cross-section with the head of the rail broken away, the norma-l shape of the device from which it is distorted in its application to the rail being indicated by dotted lines.

Figi. 2 is a viewV similar to Fig. 1, but showing the anchor in a preliminary position in the course of its application to the rail, and showing in dotted lines the position which the device has when the tightening operation is about to begin. I

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a cast wedg illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4: is a top plan view of a rolled strip ready to be cut into a plurality of wedges.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified formof wedge, and a modified form of anchor device.

Fig. 6 is another view similar to F ig. 1, illustrating the use of my improved means for holding the anchor device 'from loosening on the rail.

.F 7 shows the form of .device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but applied and tightened upon a rail having flanges whose upper faces are parallel with the bottom face of the rail; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing` a modified form of device.`

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3: 10 and 11 indicate the flanges at the opposite sides of a rail, and 12 indicates the web of the rail, the upper faces of the flanges and 11 being sloped as is usual in connection with American railroad rails. 13 indicates the body of the anchor device, having a bearing 14 against the bottom face of the rail, and being bent inwardly at its ends to provide jaws 15 and 16 adapted to press downwardly upon the upper faces of the flanges 10 and 11, such downward pressure being applied either by direct contact of the jaw with the flange, or by the'use of an interposed plate or wedge 17. rlhe anchor is preferably applied to the rail closely ad- ]acent tothe cross-tie 18, as is usual with Vdevices of this type. ln the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the plate 17 interposed between the jaw 16 and the upper face of the flange 11, is in the 'form of a wedge with its thicker portion disposed adjacent to the outer edge of the flange. As is shown by dottedlines in Fig. 1, the normal shape of the anchor device is such that the bearing 14 would normally stand at some little distance above the bottom tace of the rail, inthel applied position of the anchor, the arrangement being such in this regard that it is necessary to distort the anchor by moving the bearing 14; downwardly with respect to the ends o't the jaws 15 and 16, against the resilient action of the bar making up the anchor device, in the application of the device to the rail.

The, device or" Fig.`1 is applied to the rail in the well understood manner. The position' in solid lines in Fig. 2 shows the preliminary position with the anchor en- #aging the rail at the end of the jaw 1G. subsequent position of the device, in the application of the' anchor to the rail, lis shown by dotted linesin said Fig. 2, 1n thisv position the anchor being in engage4 ment with the rail at the bearing 14: and alsoat each of the jaws. That is to say, in the dotted line position, the anchor is just ready for its tightening` upon the rail. Such tightening is effected by raising the jaw 15 into position above the edge of the flange 10, and either ldriving or otherwise forcing lthe'body 13 and the jaws transversely towards the right in said Fig. 2 with 'respect tothe railfand with respect to the wedge 17 ,"until the anchor assumes the position Vshownv in solid lines in Fig. 1, with theend ofthe jaw 1G in engagement with asho'ulder 19 formed on the upper tace of the wedge. As will be readily understood, the jaw 1G will snap into engagement with the shoulder 19 as soon as the anchor has been moved suiliciently to the right in Fig. 1', to permit such engagement. In the applied position o the anchor, the sides of the jaw 16 also Contact the ribs or shoulders 20, formed upon the wedge so as to prevent displacementi the wedge longitudinally ot the 'rail from itsVY engagement with the In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,-'the distance between the bearing let of the body otthe anchor and the bearing of the jaw 15 upon'the upper face of the flange 10`is the saine as that between the bearing 111 Aand the bearing of the jaw 1G upon the wedge 17. By reason of this construction, there is no differential leverage at thev opposite'sides 01"' the rail, but there is a ditle'rential action at the opposite sides ot theV rail by virtue or" which the anchor is tightened `into operative engagement, such differential action being brought about by the 'use of the wedge 17 at one side of thel rail while the jaw at the opposite side ot the rail engages directly with the upper face of the Harige.

In the application of the device of Figs. 1 and 2 to a ra'l, the iirst tightening ot the anchor is effected byraising jaw 15 for operative engagement with the edge of the flange from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The subsequent tightening ot' the anchor in its application to the rail is due to t-he fact that as the anchor is moved toward the. right in Fig. 2 both the jaws 15 and 1G are moved upwardly with respect to the bottom face of the rail, while the bearing 11 is ol course held against; upward movement. rl`he resulting distortion of the anchor in its application to operative position causes a very Iirm grip upon the rail. It will `he understood that for the operation of raising the jaw 16 into operative engagement with the angc and for the subsequent movement ot the anchor toward the right in Fig. 2, it will be necessary that the wedge 17 be held against lateral movement on the flange towards the right. rl`his holding of the wedge 17 is to be ellected in any suitable manner, the wedge being made of such size longitudinally or" the rail that a convenient engagement can be effected with the wedge at opposite faces ot the jaw 1G. The shoulder 19 is to be o1 such a size as to serve normally r'or preventing disengagement ot the end of the. jaw 1G there'trom after such jaw h s snapped into contact therewith. It will be understood that when the anchor is to be removed from the rail, the. jaw 1G can be readily disengaged from the shoulder 19 by the application of upward pressure on the jaw.

In Fig. 4, I have illustrated thc formation of a plurality of wedges 17 integrally by a rolling` process, the wedges to be cui: from the strip along the dotted lilies 21.

In the construction in Fig. the distance between the bearing 1t of the body ot the ancho? and the bearing of the jaw 15 upon the upper tace oit the flange 1() is considerably less than the distancebetween the said bearing 14: and the bearing of the jaw 1G upon the upper tace ofi the interposed plate or wedge 2Q. Thus there is a differential action at opposite sides ot the rail by reason ofa differential leverage. as well as by rcason of the provision oi? the wedge :20 which has its thicker portion adjacent to thc edge of the flange. In the construction shown in Fig 5, the wedge Q2 is designed to he out ot contact with the web 12 of the rail, heing provided with a downward extension 23 at one face adapted to engage the edge of the 'flange 11.

The anchor device of Fig. G is similar to that shown in Fig. 5 by which a dillerential leverage is provided at opposite sides of the rail, but a diil'erent 'form ot device is provided for preventing the loosening movement olf the anchor upon the rail attcr its application. The 'form ot device here shown comprises a. plate Bei provided with a shoulder 25 pressed in the upper face ot theb plate, the arrangement being such that Vin which there is no differential leverage Vsame at the outer edge` of the flange as that at the inner edge of the plate adjacent to the web 12. The plate-24 is thus not relied upon for tightening the anchor, but only for holding the anchor against moving in the direction for loosening' the anchor upon the rail.

ln Fig. 7, l have shown an anchor of the general type `illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,

obtained, In the construction here shown, the flanges 10 and 11 are of even thicknessI from their outer edges to the vertical web 12; that is to say, the upper faces of 'the flanges 10 and 11 are parallel with the bottom face of' the rail. The tightening of the anchor upon the'rail is attained by reason of the diderential action brought about by the use oi the wedge 26, which is very similar to the wedge 17 of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In the construction shown in lF 7, however, the wedge 26 is provided with a shoulder 27 adapted to engage the end of `the jaw 16, but no ribs or shoulders are provided cor-reseending withthe ribs or shoulders 2O of the wedge 17 of Fig. 1.

In the construction shown in Fig. 8,7the arrangement is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 7, eXcept that there 1s a differential leverage provided in the device of Fig. S. That is to say, in the anchor ojl" Fig. 8, the distance between the bearing 14 otdthe body upon the lower tace of the rail to the bearing oit the jaw 1G upon the wedge device 28 is considerably smaller than the distance between the. said bearing 14 and the bearing of the jaw V15 upon the upper face of the flange 10. lt'isl thus seen that the device of Fig. S differs from the device 'of Fig. 5 in that the shorter lever of the'construction of Fig. 8 is that adjacent to the jaw having the'clearanee required Afor applying the anchor, rather than atthe opposite end of the device, asy illustrated inAFigs. 5 and 6. lnasmuch as the device of Fig. 8 relies @for its tightening upon the differential effect produced by the useot the wedgeQS and vnot to any extent upon any differential action otherwise, there is an advantage in having the shorter lever in ens gageinent with the wedge 28, rather than.

with the longer lever in engagement, as is shown in Fig. 5, in which the differential action is attained both by reason of the use of the wedge 22 and also by reason of' the fact that the upper faces ort-the flanges 10 and v11 aresloping dowi'iwardly with respect to the bottom face of the rail. By this con-- struction, the desired tightening can be attained by the use of a thinner wedge than could be done otherwise.

ln a. number of the figures, the 'jaw 15 is shown as being beveled at its inner end,

so as to provide for the possibilit;7 of driving the anchor into applied position after such beveled portion has been brought into engagement with the upper edge of the outer face of the flange 10. The end of the yiaw 1G is also shown as being beveled in a number of the figures in order to avoid undesirable contact with the web 12 in the initial position of thev anchor upon the rail. If desired, the wedge device can be inserted between. the jawl 16 and the upper faceo'f the flange 11 `after the jaw 16 has been hooked over the flange, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2.

By my construction, as exemplified in the several forms shown, .l have provided an anchor which basa very strong grip upon a rail; means is provided for holding the anchor from a loosening movement on the rail without the necessity for pressing a shoulder inthe metal ot the bar, it being understood that such shoulder can be produced much more readily in the wedge 17 which is vcast or rolled, than it can in the bar which is'inade of comparativelyhigher grade metal; by the provisionv of a variety o'f sizes and shapes of wedges 17, avsingle size and shape ot the bar member of the anchor can be used'effectivelywith any one of a very considerable number of different rails differing troni each other very largely as to size, as to the angle of slant ofthe upper faces of the (flanges, and as to other factors. Indeed, by the use of a wedge such as is illustrated, the anchor can be tightened effectively upon rails or beams upon which this general type of anchor or holding device could not be tightened at all without the use of such a wedge or some similar expedient.

So far as I am aware, I am the' first in the art to provide a wedge, or plate, or other` device, adapted by engagement with the end of one of the jaws by means of a shoulder or otherwise, to prevent the body and the jawsfrorn movement in the direction for loosening upon the rail, such plate, wedge, or other device having operative engage.- nient witligsome portion ot the rail for pre# venting movement of such part inwardly toward the web 12. i

So :tar as l am aware, l am the first in the art to provide for the use'ot a wedge be tween one of lthe jaws of an anchor ol the type here described and the upper lace or the adjacent flange, such wedge being disposedwith the thicker 'portion thereof adjacent to the outer edge of the flange.

lVhile l prefer to employ one ot' the coustructions as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings, it will be understood that .l do not wish to be restricted to the use ol' such constructions, except so far as the details of such constructions are covered by the claims, since it is evident that many` changes may be made in the details ot the constructions withoutfdeparting trom the spirit ot' my invention.

I claim: Y

l. A rail anchor comprising` a body adapted to extend across the bottom tace ot' airail, and jaws carried by said body and overlying the upper 'faces ot' the flanges at opposite sides of the rail, the body comprisinpr a bearing for the bottom tace of' the rail, located between the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail 'from one side thereof and is tightened Athereon by transverse movement ot' the body and jaws with respect to the rail, and comprising means serving' by engagement with theend of one of the jaws normally to prevent movement of said jaw in the direction for loosening` on the rail.

2. A rail anchor comprising a body adapted toextend across the bottom face ot a rail, and jaws carried by said body and overlying the upperffaces ot the flanges at opposite-sides of the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the bottom tace ot' the rail, located between the jaws, the parte beings so arranged that the device is ap plicable to a rail from one side thereof and is tightened thereon by transverse movement ot the body and jaws with respect to the rail, and comprising means interposed between the jaw and the upper face of the flange at that side otl the rail toward which the body is moved transversely for Vthe tightening operation serving normally to prevent a reverse loosening movement ot the body and jaws on the rail.

3. A rail Yanchor comprising a body adaptedrto extend across the bottom tace ot a rail, and jaws carried by said body and overlying;` the upper faces of the flanges at oppositevsides of the rail, the body compris ing a bearing for the bottom face of the rail, located between the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail fromk one side thereof and is `tightened thereon 'by transverse movement of the body and jaws with respect to the rail,V and comprising means interposed be tween one jaw and the upper face ot the adjacent flange and provided with a shoulderserving by engagement with the said jawV normally to prevent a reverse loosening movement of the body and the j aws on the rail.

`4. A rail anchor comprising a body adapted to extend across the bottom Jface ot a rail, and jaws carried by said body and overlying` the upper faces ot the flanges at opposite sides ofthe rail, the body comprising a bearing ttor the bottom face ofthe rail. located between the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail :trom one side thereof and is tightened thereon by transverse movement o the body and jaws with respect to the rail, and coinprising a plate adapted to space one ot the jaws from the upper face ot the adjacent flange and serving` by engagement with the end ot said jaw to hold it normally from moving in the direction tor looseninpr on the rail.

5. A rail anchor coniprising a body adapted to extend across the bottom face of a rail, jaws carried by said body and overlying the upper faces ot the flanges at opposite sides ot' the rail, the body comprisingr a bearing tor the bottom tace of the rail located between the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and means interposed betwcen one ot the jaws and the upper tace ot the adjacent flange servingy to cause the jaw to move up rardly with respect to the upper face ot the flange as said jaw moves toward the outer edge ot the flange.

6. A. rail anchor comprising a body adapted to extend across thc bottom face of a rail, jaws carried by said body and ovcrlying` the upper faces of the danges at op posite sides ofi' the rail, the body comprisingr a bearing tor the bottom face ot the rail located between the jaws, the parts being* so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and a wedge interposed between one ot the jaws and the upper face of the adjacent flange with the thicker portion ot the wedge disposed adjacent the outer edge of the flange, the arrangement bein;r such that when the body and jaws are moved laterally with respect to the wedge and with respect to the rail into operative position on the rail, a difterential movement of the jaws is produced with respect to the rail, serving to tighten the anchor on the rail. l Y Y 7. A rail anchor comprising a body adapted to extend across the bottom tace ot ny rail, jaws carried by said body and ovcrlyinpY the upper faces off the flanges at opposite sides ot the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the bottom face of the rail located be tween the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and a wedge interposed bctween one ot' the jaws and the upper face of the adjacent flange with the thinner edge portion oit the wedge in contact with the vertical web of the rail, the arrangement being such that when the body and jaws are moved laterally with respect to the wedge and with respect to the rail into operative position upon the rail the jaw in engagement with the wedge is moved upwardly with rcspect to the other jaw serving to tighten the anchor on the rail.

S. A rail anchor comprising a body adaptcd to extend across the bottom face ofi a rail` jaws carried by said body and overlying the upper faces of the flanges at opposite sides of the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the bottom face of the rail located between the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and a wedge interposed between the jaw and the upperface of the flange at that side of the rail toward which the body is moved transversely for the tightening operation serving to cause said jaw to move upwardly with respect to the upper face of the adjacent flange as said jaw moves towards the outer edge of the flange.

9. A rail anchor comprising a body adapt'- ed to extend across the bottom face of a rail, jaws carried by said body and overlying the upper faces of the flanges at opposite sides of the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the bottom face of the rail located between the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and means interposed between one of the jaws and the upper face of the adjacent flange serving to cause the jaw to move upwardly with respect to the upper face of the adjacent flange as the jaw moves towards the outer edge of the flange and comprising means adapted by engagement with the end of said jaw normally to prevent movement of the jaw in the direction for loosening` on the rail.

10. A rail anchor comprising a body adapted to extend across the bottom face ofa rail, jaws carried lby said body and overlying the upper faces of the flanges at opposite sides of the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the bottom face of the rail located between the jaws, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and a wedge interposed between one of the jaws and the upper face of the adjacent ange with the thicker portion of the wedge disposed adjacent to the outer edge of the flange, the arrangement being such that when the body and jaws are moved laterally with respect to the wedge and with respect to the rail into operative position on the rail, a differential movement of the jaws is obtained with respect to the flanges serving to tighten the anchor on the rail, said wedge being provided with a shoulder on its upper face adapted by engagement with the adjacent jaw normally to prevent movement of the body and jaws in the direction for loosening on the rail.

1l. A rail anchor comprising a body adapted to extend across the bottom face of a rail, jaws carried by said body and overlying the upper faces of the flanges at opposite sides of the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the bottom face of the rail located midway between the portions of said jaws which bear on the flanges of the rail, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and means interposed between one of the jaws and the upper face of the adjacent flange adapted to cause the jaw to move upwardly with respect to the upper face of the flange as said jaw moves towards the outer edge of the flange serving to tighten the anchor upon the rail.

l2. A rail anchor comprising a body adapted to extend across the bottom face of a rail, jaws carried by said body and overlying the upper faces of the flanges at opposite sides of the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the bottom face of the rail located midway between the portions of said jaws which bear on the flanges Iof the rail, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail from one side thereof, and a wedge interposed between one of the jaws and the upper face of the adjacent flange with the thicker portion of the wedge disposed adjacent to the outer edge of the flange7 the arrangement being such that when the body and jaws are moved laterally with respect to the wedge and with respect to the rail into operative position on the rail, a differential movement of the jaws is produced with respect to the rail, serving to tighten the anchor on therail.

13. A rail anchor comprising a body adapted to extend across the bottom face of a rail, jaws carried by said body and overlying the upper faces of the flanges at opposite sides of the rail, the body comprising a bearing for the. bottom face of the rail located midway between the portions of said jaws which bear on the flanges of the rail, the parts being so arranged that the device is applicable to a rail-from one side thereof, and means interposed between one of the jaws and the upper face of the adjacent flange adapted to cause the jaw to move upwardly with respect of the upper face of the flange as said jaw moves towards the outer edge of the flange serving to tighten the anchor upon the rail, and comprising means adapted by engagement with the end of said jaw normally to prevent movement of the body and jaws in the direction for loosening on the rail.

WlLLIAltf H. DE BUSK. 

